Housed in the Nancy Thompson Library, the Kean University Human Rights Institute is dedicated to supporting and promoting equal rights and anti-discrimination throughout not only Kean University but extends to the world. The institute designs ways to combat human rights atrocities and their causes. It is passionate about the importance of awareness and education for human rights that are being violated all over the world.
Beautifully designed and recipient of a Design Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects, the Human Rights Institute aims to create magnificent change inside of their fabulous facility. Within the institute is the Human Rights Gallery that showcases artwork to reflect on different human rights issues. Some highlighted exhibits have been: Transnational Migration and Immigration by Franca Marini, After-Effects: Beyond the Shadow of War by Linda Bond and The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions featuring artwork from 24 artists from around the country. Each exhibit has highlighted important issues, and the art has started conversations on these issues.
Kean University is passionate about raising awareness for human rights and educating students on the atrocities that have plagued the world. In addition to the Human Rights Institute and the Holocaust Resource Center, Kean is one of few schools to offer degree programs for Genocide and Holocaust Studies.
The Holocaust Resource Center is an organization that operates in conjunction with the Holocaust Resource Foundation and closely affiliated with the Human Rights Institute. The resource center offers free graduate courses to teachers on learning how to teach the Holocaust and how to teach prejudice reduction. It has launched an oral history program delivering hours and hours of first-person accounts from survivors. The resource center is dedicated to educating people on this atrocity in history.
With the existence of the Human Rights Institute and the Holocaust Resource Center, Kean is always looking to provide resources for students to spread awareness and education on human rights issues. To find out more about the Human Rights Institute, contact them at (908) 737-4670, email humanrights@kean.edu, or visit the second floor of the Nancy Thompson Library.
